Seattle police officer assaulted near Pike Place Market

A man was arrested Monday morning after investigators say he assaulted a Seattle police officer and tried to disarm him near the Pike Place Market.

The officer was taken to Harborview Medical Center as a precaution after the suspect allegedly bit him. But a department spokesman said the officer’s injuries were minor.

The incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. in the 1500 block of Western Avenue. The officer noticed the suspect, in his early 30s, on the roof of the Market Heritage Center, which is a small museum.

The suspect jumped from the roof to the ground and into the center, Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson said. The officer, who has been with the department 21 years, thought the actions were suspicious and contacted him.

“That’s when the suspect struck the officer,” Jamieson said of an initial punch. “Witnesses believe the suspect was attempting to disarm the officer.”